Stock regulator for paper machines



y 1945- E. A. POlRlER 2,379,746

STOCK REGULATOR FOR PAPER MACHINES Filed Jun 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 3, 1945. E. A. POIRIER I 2,379,745

STOCK REGULATOR FOR" PAPER MACHINES I Filed June 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1945 I UNITED STATES PATENT UFFKCE s oon anem'ron FOR PAPER memes;

Ernest drainer. Water-ville, Maine Application snnen. 1942, Serial No. 44am claims. This invention relates to apparatus intended ,for use in controlling the flow of stock to the especially concerned with apparatus of the type" designed to respond automatically to changes in Figure 1 is a view partly in yertical'section the consistency of the stock and to adjust or regulate its flow in such a manner that a substantially constant dry-weight of paper making material will be delivered continuously notwithstanding variations in the consistency of successive portions of the stream of stock. Such apparatus is commonly referred to as a "weight I regulator.

Anexceedingly troublesome factor in apparatus of this general character is to make such. an apparatus difi'erentiate between variations in' consistency and those -intreeness or slowness of the stock. A slow stock is one in which the water line travels down the sheet further than normal toward the couch r011 while producing a normal sheet. This action is commonlyregarded as due tothe fact that the fibrous porthan of the stock'is highly hydrated and tends to retain water in which it is suspended and to part with it reluctantly. A free stock, on the other hand, releases itswater more readily than ----normal, with the result that the water line moves up the wire. A slow stock has a certain slimy characteristicwhich the free stock does'not nos seas, and for this reason a slow stock of a given consistency does not exert the same frictional resistance on surfaces with which it is in con tact as does a. free stock carrying the same proportion oi solids.

Another factor which 'Talso is. extremely troublesome infi'usingweight regulators is the fact that thegate' which is continuously. beingadjusted to compensate. for changes in consistency becomes loaded up with solid con stituents of the stock which crowd in between the gate and the guiding surfaces for it and introduce so much resistance to the movements, at

the gate asto impede those movements and thus to interfere with the intended operational the apparatus.

'The present invention is especially concerned I with these considerations andwith other factors latertobe mentioned which prevent that accuracy ct control so much desired (in a-weight regulator and which is so dimcult to realize in actual practice.

The nature of the invention will'be readily derstood from the'following description when .read in connection with the accompanying drawthrough a, wing nut i i which-is mounted to rotate I and partly in elevation, showing an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 iso. front elevation, with some parts broken away. of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view, on a somewhat larger scale, showing certain details 0! the connections through which the regulating gate is operated;

Fig- 4. is a. front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. I i.

- Fig. 5 is a horizontal, sectional view approxi mately on the line 5-4, Fig. 4;

Fig.6 is a. plan view of parts of the supporting mechanism for the yane;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view approximately on the line ii-'LFig. 1; and

Fig; 8 is a plan Fig. 1. r

The invention-will be herein disclosed as embodied'in an apparatus of the type. shown in my prior Patent No. 1,893,678, although some of the ,teatures of the invention are equally applicable to other forms of apparatus for controlling the flow of paper stock.-

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the construe tion there shown comprises a. head box 2-into which stock is pumped through the intake pipe t, the box being equipped with a weir (not shown) over which the surplus .flows and returns to the stud chest. Thus an approximately constant level of stock is maintained in the intake I provided with an outlet 4 formed partlyv in the wali of the box and partly in a. face plate 5 secured to the front side thereof. Mounted'to ciated with this face plate is a main gate 1i adapted to close the outlet 4 more or less, as de-- sired. To the upper edge of the gate a small bracket s is secured into which the lower end of a screw in is fastened, this screw projecting in va: stationary bracket 12.: By revolving this nut the gate 1- wlll be raised or lowered, depend view of therestrictorshown in ing upon the direction of rotation of the nut. A thumb screwl3 serves to lock the nut when desired.

So far as the parts above described are concerned, the construction is very similar to those in common use. The gate"! is often referred to as the fproduction gate since it is adjusted to nected at its lower end with the supplemental gate is pivoted at its upper end on screws 3I-4l, Fig. 6, to a slide 32 mounted on the bracket 2|.

The two screws have conical pointspositioned in correspondingly shaped sockets formed in the I opposite ends of a T-shaped head 30', Fig. 6,

a position adapted to permit a flow of stock through the outlet suflicient for the manufacture of the particular sheet in process. An arrow l4, Fig. 2, projecting laterally from the bracket 8 cooperates with a scale IE to indicate the degree of opening of the gate.

'As explained in my earlier patent above -referred to, variations in the consistency of the stock produce changes in contour or curvature of the stream of stock discharged through the outlet 4, and the apparatus there shown utilizes such changes in controlling the rate of flow of the stock. That is, as the percentage of solids in the stock-is reduced, the stream becomes longer and has a slower curve, while an increase iii-consistency shortens the streamand gives it a sharper curve; and the apparatus there shown includes a vane or scoop resting against the earlier weight controlling apparatus designed to stream and held in contact with it by its .own weight. the'vane being so connected with the supplemental or auxiliary gate as to adjust that gate automatically in response to changes in position of the vane.

The present invention involves numerous im-' provements'in the general organization of this make it more sensitive, capable of handling a on it, instead of relying merely on'gravity for wider range I consistencies satisfactorily. easier to instal,

*ust and repair, requiring less attention .on the part of the operator, and having a substantially higher degree of reliability.

In-order to accomplish certain of these results, an 'important feature of this invention-consists in, the provision 'oLa-vane which is moved'both backward and forward by the action of the stock moving it in one direction. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, the vane is made in the form of'a laterally elongated, approximately rectangular funnel of relatively short-height, and its discharge rigid with the upper end of the link 30.

A screw 33 holds said slide snugly against the lower edge faces of the side members of the bracket 2| and also serves to adjust the slidetoward and fizom the fulcrum of the bracket' For this purpose the screw is threaded through a part of the bracket, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, itsrearward end is mounted for rotation in a boss 34 formed in said bracket, and its forwardend rotateson the conical end of a screw. it

equipped with acheck nut by means of which it maybe locked'in its adjusted position. These parts 34 and 35 tom bearings for the screw I3,

supporting it for rotation but-preventing it from moving. axially.. Also, thescrew is provided with a knurled. head I so that it' may be revolved. conveniently, and such rotative movement. ad-

Justs the slide 32 toward or from the fulcrum -22 of the bracket. The slide carries upright pointers at' opposite ends thereof cooperating with graduations formed on the opposite lateral surfaces .of the brac of making records of'adjustment for diflerent stocks and reproducing the settings for such stocks. a y I I It will be seen from the foregoing that when the apparatusis in' operation the scoop or vane I! will beacted upon by the stream of stock in such a manner as to hold the vane substantially centered on, or in any event in a' predetermined positional relationship to, the main body of the stream. This is true, because the stream flows between the tapering front and rear walls of the scoop and engages both of them. Consequently.

as the contour of the stream changes or as the,

' part orthe stream engaged by the vane shifts" area is made suiiicient' to accommodate the maximum flow obtainable through the outlet 4. Preferably, also, several pins or stud H .of substantial'diameter are anchored in the oppositewalls oi the vane and extend transversely fromfront to rear across the channel provided through it.

.The right-hand plate of this vane 15 extended upwardly and is secured rigidly to an arm It forward end of a bracket 2|. The rearward'end of this bracket "is pivotally connected by cone pointed screw 22-22, Fig. 6, with a bracket 23 either 'f ormed integral with, or secured rigidly to, the main gate l. Thus the vane can swing freely on the horizontal axis of the pivots 2! to-' which is adjustably fastened by a bolt 2| to the ward and from thefront of the head box. Its

weight is so disposed that it tends to hang to the left, E18, 1, and in-order to hold it normally.

in? a predetermined neutral or zero position, a counter-balancing weight 24 is connected with the bracket 2i by a cord 25 running over a.

grooved pulley.- M

Since the-movements of the vane are to be utilized in controlling automatically the rate of po hes through the outlet 4, a supplementalor auxiliary gate 21 is mounted on the main gate vl with its edges running in guideways provided by the parts "-3, Figs. 4 and 5. A link a ton:

'tions.

toward or from the head box, due to variations in its consistency, the scoop will be compelled to move with it. Such movements rock it and'the bracket 2| on the fulcrum 22,- and a component of this movement is transmitted through the link 30 to the auxiliary gate 31, thus adjusting it to change the sizeof the outlet I in a manner dependin upon the direction of such adjusting. movements. It the consistency of the stream in-. creases. the gate will be closed somewhat, while .a decrease in consistency will produce an opening movement of the gate. And theextent or amplitude of these adjusting movements can be so relatedto the changes in odn'sistency-thatthe,

volume of 5 delivered will be variedinversely with c esin its consistency. Thus .an approximately uniform rate of delivery of solidswill be maintained nothwithstanding such v aample and convenient adjustments 9,11 0 ar provided by the construction above described,

the connection .of the-vane-arm It with the fiustment of the ,in operating the bracket at a aflo vane while the leverage ufll iusted by turning the knurled-ecrew'head 80.

It should be particularl noted-that iii-this epparatus the vane I] is moved both-forward and backward byfihe action of the stream on it and that-such action'ie produced partly by the. impactof the stream on the tapered walleof the vans and partly by the'weight-of-Jtoek'iccting a on certain ofthe sum er-tn; vane and ee-u ket to facilitate the matter" 'an'angular positional ad.-

auxiliary valve 21 can1be--a d-- substantially positive adjusting movements ofv the auxiliary valve 21.

An important feature of the invention also resides in the construction and mounting of this auxiliary valve. As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and an consists of a circular disk lying against the face of the main gate I with its lateral edges un'- der the flanges of the guides 28-48. The link 30 isconnected to this disk by means of a ball and socket joint consisting of a ball ended pin 38 and a socket'inwhich it fits, this socket being adjustable by means of the screw 40. As the link is moved up and down in unison with the changes in position of the vane, th disk 21 is free to oscillate or to revolve in eit er direction. Consequently, if its movement is retarded by solids which have collected in one or the other of the guides, it will rock about itsvown. center as it moves up or down but will not stick. The direction in which it rocks will depend upon which side is under thengreater resistance. The very act of rotating, however tend's to clear out the obstruction and thus to make the gate free itself.

carries a Pipe 4! for wash water and this pipe is apertured to produce the spray S, Fig. 1, against the face of the front gate above the pivot 22 where latter chamber would rise, while if it decreases, the head would be lowered. In other words, the

restrictor 46 operates to vary the rate of flow from flow controlling elements operated by it to produce the ultimate desired result of so varying the free from such'accumulations of fiber, washing sprays may be directed against the apparatus at suitable. points. For this purpose the bracket 8 it assists in keeping this pivot clear. Also, this water runs down the face of the gate and tends to wash away any accumulations of fiber on it or the gate 27 or under the guides 28. Another pipe 42 extends downwardly from the pipe GI and carries a spray nozzle 43 which may be set at anysuitable angle to wash the lower parts of the apparatus. As shown, the spray is directed against the rearward upper surface of the vane but it does not have suflicient force to afiect the position of the vane in its path of swinging movement.

A further feature of this invention resides in a novel form of restrictor 46, Figs. 1 and 8, through which the stock flows in passing from the inlet chamber of the head box to the outlet 4. As shown, this. device comprises a curved pressed metal member, somewhat trough-shaped but open at its upper end so as to form a channel for the flow of stock downwardly into and through the outlet 4. At the upper end of this restrictor there a are two rows of pins or rods 41, positioned one above the other, with the pins in one rowstagered withreference to those in the other. Thus these elements provide a uniformly distributed 'resistance'to the flow of stock'frorn the chamber to the outlet. If the front of the head box 2 were a partition separating the chamber 2 from another chamber from which the stockwere discharged, it would be found that under suitable conditions of flow the stock would maintain a certain level-in the'l'atter chamber so'long as its consistency remained constant, but that if the consistency increased-the head of-stock in the in other forms of apparatus, and p rate of delivery of stock to the paper making wire that a substantially constant weight of solids will be delivered continuously.

The apparatus herein shown and described has been found in actual operation to produce exceptionally satisfactory results. It is extremely reliable, will handlean extraordinary range of consistencies satisfactorily, and is relatively free from the disturbing effects formerly produced by variations in slowness or freeness of the stock. As above indicated, an important factor in the operation of this apparatus is the downward thrust exerted by the stream on parts of the scoop and the impeding action of the pins or rods I1, and I believe that these factors,- and the manner in which they react on stocks, varying in freeness and slowness, is an important fact in producing the favorable results obtained with this invention. .Apparently what happens is that the slow stock and the free stock react on the surfaces of the scoop in such a manner that the peculiar qualities which go with freeness and slowness do not materially affect the operation of the apparatus bllt'its response is controlled almost entirely by variations in consistency. However, regardless of what may be the explanation, it has been'found inactualpractice that the apparatus will handle extraordinary ranges of consistency very satisfactorily.

While a preferred embodiment-of the invention is herein illustrated, it will; be evident that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, and that .some features of the invention are useful icularly in consistency regulators.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described,

the combination with a head box having an outlet for a stream of stock, of a main gate adjustable to vary the area of said outlet, a vane for engaging the stream of stock flowing through said outlet, means supporting said vane on said main gate for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, said vane having parts to be engaged by the forward and rearward portions of said stream,

whereby it will be moved toward and from said gate by changes in contour of the stream, means for adjusting said main gate, a supplemental gate mounted on but. adjustable independently of said main gate to change the area of said outlet, and connections between said vane and said supplemental gate for causing changes in the position of the vane to adjust said supplementalgate.

2. In an apparatus according' to preceding claim 1, a construction in which said vane has the a form of a laterally elongated funnel.

3. In an apparatus according to preceding claim '1, a construction in which said vane has the form'of a laterally elongated funnel witha series of pins extending transversely across said funnel from front to rear.

4. In an apparatus'of the character described,

' the combination with ahead box having an outlet for a stream of stock, of a gate for controlling the area of said outlet, guides for enaa's g 'the opposite edges of said sate, said gate home 'or circular outline, and'adjusting means for said gate having a ball and socket connection with the central portion of the gate so that the latter may have a rotative movement in either direction about its on center. 5. In an apparatus oi the. character described,

the combination with a head box having an outlet'ior a stream of stock. or a gate adiuatabie to control the area of said outlet, guides for engagin: the opposite edges of said gate, said gate being 5 or circular outline, and means supporting said gate for rocking movement aroundgubstantially its own center. ERNEST A. POmIER, 

